There were a number of other people visiting the site, a large number of kids among them. They shouted, played their ipods and clambered over the wreckage. But upon seeing all this stuff they might be encouraged to wonder what happened here, possibly even develop an interest in the historical. That’s got to be a good thing.

Over Exposed was an RB29 Superfortress. It was a photo reconnaissance aircraft – hence the name – and had photographed some of the nuclear bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean and had taken part in the Berlin airlift.

CREW & FLIGHT DETAILS
Captain Landon P. Tanner took off on the morning of 3rd November 1948, at around 1015. It was a routine flight from Scampton in Lincs to the US airbase at Burtonwood, carrying USAF wages among other things. The crew were due to return to the States in a few days.

I have thought a lot about our day up there Ian along with Paul we all seemed to hold the same opinion and values… "they" in fact all the poor souls aboard all those many aircraft that came to grief on the UK’s high ground deserve to be remembered. Especially by youngsters… to see that large group of kids walking around through and on the wreckage was both pleasing ( they were interested ) and sad ( they are semi desecrating a grave site ) I know the three of us all felt that peculiar feeling of intrusion and something akin to walking around a church..Well I did. I am so pleased I have seen this site and intend to return. The weather that day was near perfect. A far cry from that fateful cloudy/misty day back in 48….

Your pics of the lads looking at the engine is great… I hope they, like me, stood in awe at the scene of devastation and remember ….

If the party of kids had been part of an organised group I certainly hope their leader had the knowledge and took the time to explain exactly what they were looking at and to take a moment to reflect. In fact Ian, I think you could have done that side of things for them and gave them a real experts view on the details of the crash site and of the wreckage that is left.

We are still on for a bivi this summer? Perhaps not here (!) but am happy to do a guided tour to this or any of these sites if you like. Or I could just provide some grid refs. There are a number of crash sites on Bleaklow, top of my head I can think of 8 on this hill alone.

I expect e-bay will remove the items from sale. But they must be thick to tell the world they have bits for sale, it is illegal to remove them. But these ****s really piss me off. Sometimes you see items for sale in august publications like Flypast, though I think they have cottoned on now, it’s been a while since I saw anything in the small ads.

There must be that amount, if i think of the ones near here that i know of including the one my Mum witnessed as a wee lass of a spitfire crashing into a field, it must add up to about 20 so times that by the size of britain and the number of years we’ve been flying it must add up.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/31878512@N06]
I recall that, I thought at the time, what ghouls people must be to do that. The memory of that has stayed with me, one reason I always go on about people taking this stuff.

A great article which echoes my feelings . The ‘people’ who take items and sell em are SCUM, not enthusiasts , just SCUM.
It makes my blood boil.
Ebay doesnt give a shit , I reported one lot to them they told me to go to the police and fleabay let the auction go ahead . Problem with going to the police is that they will contact the RAF and the RAF will just shrug , the police will then say there is nothing they can do and the SCUM get away with it .

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasujoba44] Unfortunately, ebay will only see it as "business". Kingsdude/Dave had it spot on… "whatever happened to morals"? Would be great if no-one bought the stuff but, like Tiger/Rhino/Elephant etc parts, if there’s a buyer, there’s a seller 🙁

Paul and yourslef along with other decent folk appreciate the significant damage done by removing articles from sites.. apart, as you say Ian, it is illegal, these "SCUM" are only interested in making money as are EBAY and their like. What would happen if folk decided lets dig up some poor sod, he might have something valuable I could sell or squirrel away for only me me look at? One could open a right can or worms re the good and bad points of archeology. To disturb and rob a crash site is both illegal and immoral in my mind. It is or could be a recognised war grave. I appreciate that the armed forces RAF and USAF have official and permitted groups that recover aircrew from crash sites and give them a proper funeral.. they don’t along the way, gather a few bits and sell them on Ebay do they? After talking to you and Paul at the crash site and the other 2 we saw that afternoon, I firmly believe it is respectful to simply look, photograph and then LEAVE the parts in situ. The group of kids we saw walking around the site of Over Exposed, appeared respectful and interested.. what about future groups attending this and other sites, when the scavengers have picked it clean.. what will they be able to see and feel learning the history that is no longer there to see?

Your last comment about using public money to push through prosecutions.. if we don’t, if we turn a blind eye, then the Police will simply turn their backs on all "trivial and not really serious crime" on the slippery slope for sure there. Wonder what the lads who died in these crashes would think, to know, that would be the way society went, after they defended decent folk in society from the bad ones, only for the bad ones to win and get away with it…. sad.

Thanks for your comment Richard. Looking at other people who visit and photograph these places the attitude that you take only photos is the prevalent view, thankfully.

As I just put in an e-mail to you, is this any way to treat our heroes? By the way, I would say it is a good use of public resources to tackle these tossers in order to preserve these remains, but I don’t know if most others would agree, especially when Police are losing their jobs.

Thanks everyone for your comments about the sale of artifacts stolen from wreck sites.

My reaction was probaly a bit OTT , Ive calmed down now 🙂 I was fuming !
I think that you have all made some very considered accurate and correct comments .
Unfortunately i suspect that those of us who see the benefits of leaving it at the crash site are far outwieghed by the numbers of folk who would like to take it to thier garages and sheds.
We are among the last generation who will be able to see these sites . I suppose that with the remains vanishing it is all the more important to keep recording these sites .
Obviously the many books have them covered too but on the internet and flickr, folk who are not aircraft geeks can also see and hopefully appreciate the sites.

Have to agree heartily with all the comments about the greed, insensitivity, and sheer ghoulishness of people who plunder these sites for their own gratification or for money! (These people are no different from the heartless guys around here who nicked our phone lines to sell the copper, and last week nicked the copper off the church roof.) I guess making the crash sites secure would be out of the question, too expensive for one thing. Maybe what’s needed is an organisation that can bring private prosecutions against people who traffic in them, like the RSPB does for people who rob the eggs from birds’ nests.

It would be a lot easier if ebay grew a pair and just banned all sale of crashed aircraft artifacts. Its not like the sellers are hiding the fact , its the main selling point the fact that it comes from a named crashed aircraft . With the Government legal position on the matter and the self admission of the sellers to what they are selling I cannot see why the police need to be involved for ebay to act . It clearly is illegal and they just sit there and let it happen . If its harder to sell then the reason for taking it lessens.

I’m disturbed by the fact some artifacts from this crash sight are being sold, my grandfather George Ingram was one of the 13 airmen killed in the crash. My father was just barely 2yrs old when he died. One day we hope to be able to visit this sacred sight and pay our respects to our deceased loved one. I’ve enjoyed this web sight very much and am thankful to those in the town that honor the loss of life from that day. Thank you for remembering them.

Hi Kristi, thank you for visiting and for your comments. You are very welcome, am pleased you like these pages and that you can learn something of Corporal Ingram from them. Your dad actually commented on this photo a couple of years ago so it is especially good to hear from you too.

The remains of ‘Over Exposed’ make it a particularly moving place. It is probably the best remembered air crash site in the country and I hope you and your family can make a visit one day.

It is sad that there are people who sell these remains. We have challenged individuals about it and have complained to e-bay but it continues. At any given time you will find people selling this stuff.